Letters to the Editor: March 31, 2011

WADING RIVERAnd to our loyal customers
I am the owner of the Greek Island Diner in Wading River. I am writing to you because I would like respond to a news article that was published in your paper (“1 in 4 local restaurants has health violations listed online,” March 24). The Greek Island Diner has been serving its customers for the past five years. We have the most loyal customers and our family appreciates each and every one of them. We have a personal relationship with all of them. It’s like the “cheers” of diners. I want our customers to know that they will receive the quality and freshness of food and service that they are promised, and would expect from our restaurant. We take pride in our cleanliness and our appearance. To our customers, rest assured that my family and I will continue to serve you to the best of our ability.
Andrew Drepanis & family

WADING RIVERSome concerns with ‘Janoski Fest’
I just read in the News-Review that the BID management board is organizing an oldies concert for July 16, and that admission is free. (“Oldies concert to fill empty Blues Fest slot,” March 24.) That sounds great. I hope that also means the BID is covering the cost of the Riverhead Town showmobile and the overtime salaries of the town employees who help set up and clean things up when it’s over. Otherwise, Riverhead taxpayers are paying for that, which is not free for us. I also look forward to reading about the group’s income, expenses, and any profits or losses in the News-Review when it’s over.
I had liked former town supervisor Joe Janoski, until he sued Riverhead Town residents for his bad health — instead of blaming his eating and drinking habits ­— and we ended up paying him $60,000 every year until he died. I could never understand how that happened.
I guess he still had friends on the Town Board who didn’t object.
Helga Guthy

AQUEBOGUEHow cute is right!
I saw an ad in the News-Review last week for a new store in Riverhead on East Main Street. It is called OMG! How Cute. I went to check it out and it is a unique gift shop. Gifts for everyone. The owner was very personable and took me around and showed me all the merchandise and how some of them work. I bought a couple of very unique gifts for myself and then went back with my granddaughters yesterday and they loved it as well. They are 11 and 8. They too picked out a couple of unique things. Just thought people in our area would like to know about this adorable store and should go and check it out, too.
Charissa Yannicelli

MATTITUCKJust nine miles away
If the people in this town, county, state and country have any concerns as to trying to retain their jobs and their businesses in these already tough economic times, it will be important to consider what an environmental impact such as the nuclear event now taking place in Japan will have on Long Island.
It is incumbent on all of us to protect our interest, as we now understand what this nuclear event has done to the Japanese economy. Who will be looking to buy products from this country? Who will plan to visit Japan any time soon?
Having said that, let’s look at Millstone nuclear power plant, just nine miles across the Long Island Sound. Just nine miles! If a nuclear event takes place there, all of Long Island will be exposed to nuclear radiation, as one cannot live far enough away from a nuclear power plant.
The Shoreham nuclear power plant never came on line because we could not execute an evacuation plan. Do you think when — not if — an event takes place at Millstone (and there have been events that were downplayed) do we have an evacuation plan? The answer is no.
If an event occurs, real estate values will disappear. The tourist attractions like our beautiful farms and vineyards will have no value and they too will disappear. Our choices will be to continue to live here and take our chances with radiation exposure or move away, leaving behind our homes and loss of equity.
By the way, there is one place in the world that does not have a nuclear power plant, and that’s Australia.
One of the biggest problems with nuclear is the spent fuel rods. Currently, there are 71,862 tons of spent rods stored at various power plants, at great risk to homeland security and the environment. The original plan to store nuclear waste at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain has been abandoned.
Alternative energy solutions are the only answer, despite that corporate America would have you believe that nuclear is safe. We now have three nuclear events — Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima — that prove it’s not. Have you ever heard of anyone getting cancer from a solar panel or a windmill?
We must get our elected officials involved and have them attend meetings held by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission when licensing for Millstone comes up for discussion. We must have a voice for Long Island as part of the impact study. The lack of representation at these meetings, usually held in Connecticut, does a disservice to all Long Islanders, our families, businesses, real estate and the environment.
Let’s not be reactive in light of the situation occurring in Japan.
Marie Domenici

One Comment

to helga guthy,just so you know the bid pays for the show mobile and does not ask for any extra town services.if you had come to any of our free events last year you would have seen the members of our board and the supervisor,and council members with their wives and husbands cleaning up after the event.we use our own money not your tax dollars to put on these events,we do this to bring people downtown.we actually do things that save you tax dollars.many of the grants that the town recieves are sponsored thru the bid office and our money is used as leverage money for these grants.you will soon see all the grafity gone on main street because the bid will be paying to remove it.you will also see a community garden on main street,the bid helped financially with that.you will also see cameras soon in the parking lots on main street,yes the bid is paying for that too.have you ever gone to anything at the east end arts council? if you have then you should know the bid supports some of their events too.how about the science center,country fair,friday nite concert series or the railroad museum ? the bid supports all of them too financially.we also get corporate sponsors to help.just so you know also the bid is made up of all volunteeers with one single goal,to make riverhead and main street a place for people to want to come too whether it is new businesses or just people.i hope i have answered all your questions if not please call the bid office to set up an appointment and i will gladly help. 727-0048

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